a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to the field of paint ball guns and in particular to adaptor apparatus for securely mounting a paint ball hopper to a paint ball gun, which apparatus provides for rapid attachment and removal while providing for positive attachment.
b. Description of the Prior Art
A paint ball gun, in general, comprises three main components: a gun portion, a propellant portion and a hopper. The hopper contains a plurality of encapsulated paint balls, which, in general, are fed by gravity or gravity plus an assisting mechanism into the gun portion. The propellant portion provides the means to propel the paint ball out of the gun. The propellant portion and the gun portion are securely attached to each other, while the hopper is initially securely attached to the gun at a location above the gun portion. The hopper is fitted and attached to the paint ball gun by use of a prior art tube extending from the hopper, which is xe2x80x9cpress fittedxe2x80x9d into a cylindrical opening in the gun, or is press fitted in a tube, which is threaded into the gun. In operation, a number of paint balls are loaded into the hopper through an opening at the top of the hopper, the paint balls are fed from the hopper into the gun and then discharged out of the nozzle by compressed gas. The ability to remove and reconnect a hopper is routine for a number of reasons, including but not limited to cleaning a hopper, trouble shooting the passage of paint balls from the hopper into the gun, for storage, for preventative maintenance procedures and other like operations.
The prior art press fit of the hopper to the gun thereby allows convenient removal and replacement a hopper; but, because the hopper is frequently removed from the gun and reattached, the initial tight fit becomes looser and looser, to an extent that the hopper will not stay in position on the gun. Typically, a person attempting to remove a hopper will employ a combination of twisting and side-to-side pulling motions until the hopper comes off. Understandably, such twisting and side to side pulling eventually causes the press fit to become a loose fit such that the hopper can become disengaged from the gun when no disengagement is desired. Moreover, such unintentional disengagement of the hopper from the gun can occur at the most inopportune times. For example, when an person is running which causes the gun to jump up and down, or when a person xe2x80x9chits the dirtxe2x80x9d in going from a run to lying prone on the ground to either fire the paint ball gun or to take cover. When the hopper inadvertently becomes disengaged from the gun, the gun is inoperable which is not at all satisfactory. Further, when the press fit becomes too loose, a new hopper may be required which adds an unnecessary expense and inconvenience to persons participating in the sport associated with paint ball guns.
What is needed then, is attachment apparatus between the hopper and the gun that forms a tight connection, which does not loosen as a result of removing or replacing hoppers, forms an effective seal, and provides for rapid attachment and disengagement of the hopper when the gun is being used in the field or elsewhere and without tools.
The present invention simply and effectively provides the solution to these prior art problems.
The above objects as well as others are accomplished by the present invention which comprises adaptor apparatus that fits between a hopper of a paint ball gun and the gun itself. In one preferred embodiment, the adaptor apparatus is attached at one end, to either the hopper or the gun, while the other end is compression fitted to the other of the gun or the hopper. In accordance therewith, one end of the adaptor is threadingly connected to the gun and the other end utilizes a compressing device in association with a radially compressible bushing that is compressed onto a tube extending from a bottom of the hopper. The compression connection provides for the quick connect and removal of the hopper without the need for tools.
In accordance with the above, there has been summarized some of the more important features of one embodiment of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention as it appears in the below detailed description of the same, may be better understood.